Apparatus with voraxial separator and analyzer

Abstract

A voraxial separator and analyzer apparatus includes a composite fluid passing tube having a tube upstream segment and a tube downstream segment; a rotation acceleration vane structure rotationally mounted within the tube upstream segment and being oriented to deliver angular acceleration to a composite fluid within the tube about the longitudinal axis of the tube for separating the fluid into radially stratified component layers within the tube in the order of component density and to propel the fluid toward and through the tube downstream segment; an acceleration vane drive mechanism drivably connected to the rotation acceleration vane structure; a rotation maintenance vane structure rotationally mounted within the tube downstream segment and being oriented to deliver angular acceleration to a composite fluid within the tube about the longitudinal axis of the tube for maintaining the rotational velocity of the fluid imparted by the rotation acceleration vane structure against friction losses; and a maintenance vane drive mechanism drivably connected to the rotation maintenance vane structure.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A voraxial separator and analyzer apparatus, comprising: 
       a composite fluid passing tube having a tube upstream segment and a tube downstream segment;  
       rotation acceleration vane means rotationally mounted within said tube upstream segment and being oriented to deliver angular acceleration to a composite fluid within said tube about the longitudinal axis of said tube for creating a forced vortex in said tube upstream segment and thereby also creating a free vortex within said tube downstream segment for separating the fluid into radially stratified component layers within said tube downstream segment in the order of component density and to propel the fluid toward and through said tube downstream segment;  
       acceleration vane drive means drivably connected to said rotation acceleration vane means;  
       first rotation maintenance vane means rotationally mounted within said tube downstream segment and being oriented to deliver angular acceleration to a composite fluid within said tube about the longitudinal axis of said tube for maintaining the rotational velocity of the fluid imparted by said rotation acceleration vane means against friction losses and to thereby sustain said free vortex against degeneration and thus to sustain the stratification of the component layers;  
       and maintenance vane drive means separate from said acceleration vane drive means and drivably connected to said first rotation maintenance vane means;  
       fluid probe means extending into said tube downstream of said rotation acceleration means and positioned to detect fluid composition at a plurality of radial locations within said tube and to generate probe signals, and fluid analyzer computer means receiving and analyzing said probe signals for feedback to control the angular speed of said rotation acceleration vane means and the angular speed of said rotation maintenance vane means;  
       first speed control means controlling the rotational rate of said acceleration vane drive means; second speed control means controlling the rotational rate of said maintenance vane drive means independent of the speed of said first speed control means; feedback loop means interconnecting said fluid analyzer computer means and said first speed control means and said second speed control means;  
       such that said fluid analyzer computer means causes said first speed control means to alter the rate of rotation of said rotation acceleration vane means to achieve radial layer component separation within said free vortex and to alter the rate of rotation maintenance vane means rotation to maintain the rotation speed of said fluid within the free vortex with automatic control and feedback.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim  1 , additionally comprising a second rotation maintenance vane means within said tube downstream segment downstream of said first rotation maintenance vane means. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said rotation acceleration vane means comprises a belt driven impeller. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said rotation maintenance vane means comprises a belt driven impeller. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said fluid probe means comprises a fiber-optic probe and a spectrophotometer connected to said fiber-optic probe with a bi-directional fiber-optic cable and a reflector element within said tube opposite said fiber-optic probe; 
       such that said spectrophotometer generates light, and the light passes through said bi-directional fiber-optic cable to and through said fluid to said reflector element, whereupon a unique spectrum of the light is absorbed by the fluid, and whereupon the remaining light is reflected by said reflector element to said fiber-optic probe for analysis by said fluid analyzer computer means.